Approved event from Hybrid War Tracker
Headline: Germany: Drones spotted over US air base in Ramstein
Short Summary: Unidentified drones detected over US Ramstein air base and German military-industrial sites in December 2024; no threat confirmed by US or German officials.
Extended Summary: In early December 2024, German security authorities reported several drone sightings over the US air base in Ramstein and adjacent critical military facilities such as Rheinmetall. These sightings, first disclosed by Der Spiegel, occurred on December 3 and 4. Additional drone activity was reported over Brunsbüttel in August 2024, with initial suspicions pointing to a Russian espionage campaign. However, investigations by ARD broadcaster found no evidence supporting espionage involvement. The US Air Force spokesperson confirmed that Ramstein air base operations and surrounding civilian areas remained unaffected and emphasized continued airspace monitoring with host nation coordination. Concurrently, drone sightings have been reported in New Jersey and other northeastern US states, where federal authorities found no security threat and noted some drones were manned aircraft operating lawfully. Furthermore, in November, unidentified drones were detected over three UK air bases according to US Air Force reports. These incidents highlight growing concerns about drone incursions over sensitive military installations in transatlantic allied countries but have not resulted in reported damage or confirmed hostile activity.
On December 13, 2024, German authorities reported sightings of unidentified drones flying over sensitive military and industrial sites, including the US air base at Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. The sightings first reported by Germany's Der Spiegel magazine referenced reports from German security authorities noting drone activity over Ramstein on December 3 and 4. Drones were also sighted over facilities of German arms maker Rheinmetall and in August over Brunsbüttel in Schleswig-Holstein. Initial media speculation linked the drone activities to possible Russian espionage, but investigations by German broadcaster ARD found no evidence of espionage. The US Air Force stated that its Ramstein facilities were unaffected, with no impacts to residents or assets, and confirmed ongoing airspace monitoring. The US federal authorities reported no national security threat from related drone sightings across other US states, including New Jersey. In a related statement, the US Air Force noted that unidentified drones had been spotted over three air bases in the United Kingdom in November 2024.
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